At this, Old Wu said jokingly, "I say, Old Zheng, you couldn't have been too stingy and offered such a low price that they refused, could you?"
"Do I look like that kind of person?"
Zheng Qiuda glared at Old Wu and said, "I've always been rather fond of Zhang Zhao's calligraphy. I've collected several of his ordinary works, but I've always wanted to collect one or two distinctive masterpieces. Unfortunately, either the prices were too high or the owners wouldn't sell. Now that I've finally come across a fine piece that isn't too large, how could I possibly not show some sincerity?"
"I offered a price that was even a little higher than the market price at the time, but they still refused. What else could I do? I couldn't raise the price to something absurd, could I? Come to think of it, if I hadn't already arranged to collect an item yesterday, and if this hadn't happened today, I would have come over to ask Little Chu for help long ago."
Zhu Dafu said, "Then I think the other party simply doesn't want to sell, so they deliberately put it that way."
Zheng Qiuda sighed. "Whether they want to sell or not, now that I've finally come across something suitable, I have to make an effort. That's why I wanted to ask Xiao Chen for help. Otherwise, I really wouldn't be satisfied."
Zhang Zhao was a metropolitan scholar-official in the early Qing dynasty. He served under Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong, eventually becoming Minister of Justice. He was skilled at both painting and calligraphy, a scholar of many talents. He first studied calligraphy under Dong Qichang, then took Yan and Mi as his models. Critics praised him, saying, "His natural strength is expansive, his spirit pure and substantial, and